“Referenda” Have Begun in Ukraine’s Russian-Occupied Territories

Western countries have already announced that they will not recognize the results of the vote Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories have started “referenda” on becoming part of Russia. Voting will last five days, from September 23 to 27. Voting will take place in the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”, as well as in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The Russian occupation authorities have stated that voting will take place in the adjacent territories, as well as by way of targeted rounds of residents. On the last day of voting, September 27, polling stations will also open – such a scheme of holding a “referendum” its initiators explained by concerns about local residents’ safety. So-called “electoral commissions” started their work from 8 a.m. local time. Voting will also take place on the territory of Russia. The ballots offered to the population of the “DPR” and “LPR” contain one question – whether the residents of these regions want to join Russia. In turn, in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the question in the ballot is whether the residents want the region to secede from Ukraine, form an independent state and its further incorporation into the Russian Federation. Earlier, it had been repeatedly reported that the referenda could take place on September 11, but these plans were probably reconsidered because of the Ukrainian counterattack, as a result of which Kyiv managed to regain control of some territories previously occupied by Russia – mostly in the Kharkiv region. Western leaders have already said they will not recognize the “referenda” results. Earlier, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the USA would never recognize fictitious referenda in Ukraine held by Russia, as well as any steps by Russia aimed at annexing Ukrainian territory. A similar statement was made by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who said that the EU “will never recognize Russia’s attempts to legitimize the illegal and ruthless occupation of Ukrainian territories”. For his part, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that “neither fake “referenda” nor hybrid “mobilization” in Russia will change anything – Ukraine has every right to liberate its territories and will continue to liberate them. Голос Америки